Florida Addiction Treatment Centers: Which One Is Right For You?

Florida is more than a top tourist destination, it’s also widely considered to be the rehab capital of America due to the extensive number of addiction treatment centers and its appeal to those from out of state. Since there are so many addiction treatment centers in Florida, not all of them offer the same level of quality but how can tell the good ones from the bad ones? We’ll explain several reasons why Florida is a hub for addiction treatment and how you can find the right rehab for your needs.

Why Florida Is The Rehab Capital of America

There are various reasons why Florida (in particular, South Florida) has so many rehabs and sober homes, like its beautiful weather and beaches, but it’s not all sunshine in the Sunshine State. A lot of drugs enter the state from other countries and flow into local communities and beyond. In addition to its illicit drug trade, pain clinics sprang up across the state during the 2000s, doling out thousands of prescriptions for narcotic painkillers. So many prescriptions were handed out that people soon began calling these clinics “pill mills.” In 2011, new laws began to limit how these drugs could be prescribed and now doctors can no longer dispense painkillers from their office.

Drugs have been an issue in Florida for decades – in 1989, the 11th Judicial Circuit (representing Miami-Dade County) was the first court system in the country to set up a drug court program. Miami-Dade County Drug Court is an optional diversionary and treatment program for an eligible arrested individual who has been charged with drug offenses. Participants who successfully complete the program can have their case not be prosecuted, be dismissed, or have adjudication withheld.

It’s no surprise then that Florida has a lot of rehabs to address locals’ immediate need for addiction treatment as well as its attraction to out of state residents looking to get clean in a place with year-round tropical weather and pristine beaches. While there are many top-notch addiction treatment centers here, there are some that unfortunately have shady business practices and don’t have the client’s best interest at heart. See what you should look for to ensure you land at one of the best rehabs in Florida.

Tips For Selecting an Addiction Treatment Center in Florida

Researching different addiction treatment centers and asking the right questions will make it a lot easier to identify a reputable one. There are four basic principles we recommend that you follow during your search:

A focus on healthcare: Addiction treatment is healthcare and should be treated as such. Luxury amenities are certainly appealing but if the addiction treatment center doesn’t have the healthcare services you need, then it’ll be harder to address your underlying addiction issues.

Quality treatment services: Look for rehabs that use evidence-based practices and have professionally credentialed staff and an accreditation. If you’re able to visit and tour the rehab, you’ll be better able to see whether they actually do the things that they claim.

Transparency: Be cautious of any treatment center that has a vague, generic website or the staff is unable or unwilling to answer your questions. It’s a red flag that they may be hiding unsavory business practices.

Ethical: The addiction treatment center should pledge compliance and accountability to a Code of Ethics whether by adopting one from an industry association, like the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), or similar comprehensive criteria that it holds itself accountable.

By keeping these principles in mind, you should be able to narrow down your search much more easily. If you’re not sure where to start, you can ask a family doctor or another medical professional for a recommendation, contact your insurance company for in-network providers and out-of-network options (sometimes HMO in-network insurance will cover out-of-network PPO providers), and check out online resources such as NAATP’s addiction industry directory or the accredited providers listed on The Joint Commission and CARF International websites.

Addiction treatment centers that are recommended or listed on these websites isn’t necessarily a guarantee of quality but it can be a good place to start. Whether you get a recommendation or find a rehab online, always do further research. Also, be careful with Internet-based commercial directories, generic websites, ads offering free treatment placement, websites that offer unsolicited referrals, or unverifiable treatment center rankings. When you find a rehab in Florida that interests you, check out this handy list of questions in our Tips For Selecting A Drug Rehab In Palm Beach to help you see whether the rehab is reputable or not.

We know that looking for an addiction treatment center in Florida, or anywhere for that matter, can be overwhelming. If you need more information on addiction, treatments, or insurance, check out addiction help center or call us on our 24/7 confidential helpline.